


The Path Ahead

by NovaHeart



Series: Conversations [3]
Category: The Beginner's Guide (Video Game)
Genre: Conversations, Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:20:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22626988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NovaHeart/pseuds/NovaHeart
Summary: After being on the phone with Leslie practically all day, Coda finally meets with Davey at a café.
Relationships: Coda/Davey Wreden (The Beginner's Guide)
Series: Conversations [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1916794
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	The Path Ahead

**Author's Note:**

> This is the final story in the Conversations trilogy. Thank you to those who've read so far! As you may remember from the previous story, Leslie is the name I've given the female narrator, as her voice actress's name is Lesley. The reason I didn't add "The Stanley Parable" to the fandoms section is because this just felt far too detached from that game, even with the addition of Leslie to this story.

_He had called her earlier that day. Nothing much was supposed to come from the conversation; the two of them chatted a bit, talking about what was going on in their lives, simply catching up. However, Leslie suddenly asked him, “Have you played The Beginner’s Guide?”_

_Coda shook his head before remembering that she couldn’t see him. “No. Why?”_

_Leslie paused for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice sounded a bit… hesitant. “I… think you should.”_

_His eyes narrowed. “And, and why would that be?”_

_“I don’t think I’m at liberty to tell you. Just trust me.”_

“I don’t think I’m at liberty to tell you?” _Coda thought._ What does that mean? _He could not deny that the statement had piqued his curiosity. “Um… okay. I’ll, I’ll play it,” he conceded._

_“Good. I gifted it to you on Steam, so all you have to do is download it.”_

_A public game- that costed money- that she felt she wasn’t at liberty to disclose information about? This was taking an odd turn. Coda was now very determined to learn what this game was. It had to be important, not only for Leslie to have played it at all (as she was typically too busy to play video games anymore), but for her to be so tight-lipped about it too._ It’s a public game… _he mused._ There can’t possibly be too much of a secret there, right?

_He went to the game’s download page while it installed on his computer. The synopsis was very vague, but then he saw the pictures, and his world stopped._

_Images of his games, ones he had made years ago, showed up, one after another. His heart picked up its pace, and an old anxiety ran through his veins. He thought he was over it. He thought he had moved past this. In fact, he thought that_ both _of them had. Was he truly seeing what he thought he was?_

_“Leslie,” he started, beginning to feel choked up. “What is this?”_

_Her voice was calm. “Have you started playing it yet?”_

_He gritted his teeth. “Please tell me what this is.”_

_“You’re rather impatient, aren’t you? And to think just a minute ago you didn’t even know this game existed.”_

Why isn’t she just answering the question? _he thought, anger bubbling in his chest. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be real. And to think, he was actually considering_ talking _to Davey again…_

_The Beginner’s Guide finished installing. With a shaky hand, he went to the shortcut that appeared on his desktop, and opened the game._

***

_He knew what this was._

_As the last notes of Turn Back echoed in his ears, his mind was swimming with a million thoughts. At first, he had been angry. So very angry. But now, after experiencing this game, all of that resentment disappeared, and left behind the strangest mixture of grief and pride._

_He understood immediately. This game wasn’t released to show off Coda’s work. It wasn’t even released to get an apologetic message out to him. It was a goodbye letter, a farewell to the past that harmed them both. A sign that Davey had recognized the pain he caused and the reason behind the pain he himself endured, and started taking steps towards fixing himself and changing that._

_Davey had indeed moved forward, and Coda could not be more proud of him. But the fact that he made himself suffer so much to get to that point…_

_“So?” Leslie prompted, still on the line, after Coda sniffled, wiping away the tears from his eyes. “How are you feeling?”_

_“I...” Coda trailed off, thinking of how to word what he was feeling. “…I’m proud of him,” he eventually said. “I wasn’t, um, expecting… this.”_

_“You’re proud of him?” She wondered aloud, sounding as though she both did and didn’t expect that reaction. “Hm. That’s quite interesting.”_

_“Wh-what’s so interesting about it?”_

_“For years, neither of you have talked to or even seen each other, and yet, you have so much trust in him. Even after what he did to you.”_

_Coda took a tissue from a nearby box and blew his nose. “Well,” he started, throwing the tissue away, “I mean… showing off my games was, it was bad, yes. But it’s really… insignificant, I guess.”_

_Now Leslie sounded_ very _surprised. “Insignificant? How so?”_

Leslie must have taken this the wrong way. _“I-I-I don’t mean to say that what Davey went through doesn’t matter! That, that isn’t what I’m saying at all! I’m saying the whole… showing off my games to people thing. Yes, he did it without my permission. Yes, I was upset with him at the time. But, the, the problem was never about me, or my games. It was about_ why _he took them._ Why _he showed them off.” Coda sighed. “I haven’t been mad at him for… for a long time now.” The corners of his mouth lifted a bit. “Ever since I, um, ever since you told me he’d been starting to take care of himself.”_

_There was a moment of silence, then Leslie’s warm voice spoke, “You still cared about him.”_

_“I never stopped caring.”_

_There was a comfortable lull in the conversation, but before Coda could speak up again, he heard a faint knocking from Leslie’s end. “Oh, sorry, um, were you expecting company?” He quickly apologized._

_She didn’t seem too bothered, however. “Yes, but I need you to do me a favor, and not hang up. Alright?”_

_Coda wondered if maybe it was dangerous company. “Of course.”_

_He heard Leslie place the phone down and walk towards the door. She welcomed in her guest, and closed the door._ So… not dangerous company after all, I assume? _he wondered to himself._ Although, they _just_ walked in…

_The guest spoke first, and Coda nearly dropped the phone._

_“I wonder if he’ll ever talk to me again.”_

_That voice… it couldn’t be. But it had to be. He would know that voice even if he hadn’t heard it in a video game not ten minutes before._

_Everything came to a standstill for Coda, and, unwittingly, he named the guest with a whisper._

_“Davey…”_

***

Had he just done that?

Of course he had. A date, tonight. He was so excited he could barely hold himself together. Not only did he finally get the courage to talk to Davey again after all this time, but Davey told him he loved him, and he was able to vocalize those feelings he held onto since 2009. There was many a time over the past couple of years when he thought he’d royally screw up that special moment, and he’d never get that chance again. But it went so much better than he expected it to. _Thank God,_ he thought with a relieved and ecstatic grin.

He had far too much energy to sit still for another… he dashed to his window, looked outside, saw the sun still shining over the buildings of the city, and groaned. He said tonight. Why did he say tonight? Why couldn’t he say in an hour? 

_Because that would be too impromptu_ , a voice told him. It was correct, but he still huffed. At least he hadn’t said “tomorrow” or “next week”. _Could you imagine?_ He shuddered at the thought. No, this couldn’t wait that long. _He_ couldn’t wait that long. He wanted to see Davey as soon as possible. 

But considering the sun wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, he decided he’d go pick up a gift for Davey. Maybe even flowers, although he never learned what type Davey liked. However, he started to wonder if that was a bit much. After all, they were going to a café, and they hadn’t seen each other in years. Which brought another thought to mind- what if he got something that Davey _didn’t_ like? All he knew of Davey was what he knew from 2009 to 2011. It was 2017. Things may have completely changed in that aspect as well.

He sat down on his couch and decided to give Leslie a call, regardless of the fact that he had _just_ hung up not too long ago.

She sounded rather amused when she picked up. “Having some difficulties?”

“K-Kinda,” Coda admitted. “I um, was wondering if… if you knew what Davey liked.”

“Oh, you’re considering getting a gift for him?”

“Should I not be?”

“Hm… it is largely up to you. If you want my opinion on it, then I don’t find it necessary. After all, seeing you again would be a gift in and of itself, no?”

He thought about that. “That… sounds a bit, um… not arrogant, but uh, confident?”

She chuckled. “It’s okay to say what you mean, Coda.”

“I just, I just feel like I should be getting him something.”

“Then pay for whatever you both get at the café.”

Coda took a deep breath, then stood up and walked over to the window. “Okay… you’re probably right, that’s, that’s all I should do.”

There was a pause, then Leslie asked, “You’re having trouble waiting, aren’t you?”

He let out a laugh. “Is it that obvious?”

If smiles could be heard, he would say he could hear her smiling on the other end. “Yes.”

“It’s just… I’m just so excited to see him. I’m so proud of him and I want him to know that. I love him and I want to tell him that in person, and soon I’ll be able to. I used to be so scared of, of socializing, and meeting up, and even though we had been meeting up back then, I’ve been keeping to myself since, and to think before today I didn’t have the confidence to reach out to him at all, even though you told me he had been getting better _years_ ago, and-“

“Wait,” she interrupted him. “You… haven’t contacted him at _all_?”

He furrowed his eyebrows. “…No?”

“Not even after you asked how he was doing and I told you he had improved greatly?”

“I didn’t… I don’t know! I just said, I hadn’t been confident enough to reach out…”

“You didn’t even email him? Send him a message?”

He shook his head. The disappointment in her voice made him feel like a child being scolded after being caught playing their Gameboy after bedtime. “No…” he mumbled.

She sighed, clearly exasperated. “Coda, what am I going to do with you?”

“…Hopefully not kill me?”

He heard her laugh. “I wouldn’t do something like that, don’t worry. As much as I may want to right now.”

“Wait, what is that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, look at that, it’s nearly 6 PM,” she stated, ignoring his question. “I think now would be a perfect time to head over and let him know you’ll be there.”

He glanced at the clock. She was right. “Oh! Yeah, you’re, you’re right! Okay, I’m going to, to go now. Talk to you later!” He hung up quickly and grabbed his wallet and keys, then rushed out the door, locking it behind him and pocketing the items as he, in his excitement, hurried to the café.

***

Coda saw Davey before Davey noticed him.

It wasn’t any fault of Coda’s, however. Davey looked rather nervous as he fiddled with his phone, glancing up every once in a while to make sure he wouldn’t bump into anyone, then back at his phone. _What is he so worried about?_ Coda wondered. _I hope nothing bad happened…_ However, before he was able to continue that train of thought, Davey walked right by him.

He felt quite disgruntled, to say the least, but he made sure none of that was present in his voice as he called out to him, “Davey!” 

Perhaps it was his imagination, but he could’ve sworn Davey started walking faster. _Seriously?!_ Coda thought, but then he tried to rationalize the odd behavior. _Maybe he got cold feet? Or maybe something happened and he feels like he can’t see me until after he takes care of it…_ He sighed. _I hope he doesn’t want me to go chase after him. Not that I wouldn’t, but… I get the feeling that I shouldn’t right now._

He waited for another couple of minutes, nervously tapping his foot and watching the direction Davey walked off in, before heading inside, more unsettled than ever. _Maybe this was a bad idea after all…_ he sat down at a table and pulled out his phone. Davey was focused on his phone, so he’d probably receive a message, right? But Coda didn’t want to disturb him, especially if he was in the middle of something serious. He let out a sigh. If only they got into a habit of communicating with each other earlier, then maybe this wouldn’t be an issue right now…

Maybe getting a coffee in the meantime would give him something to do as he waited? But he nixed that. No, caffeine wasn’t a good idea when he was already feeling nervous. It would only amplify those feelings, he figured. Then perhaps a tea, or hot chocolate…

As soon as he got up, Davey rushed in, slightly winded. A couple of customers glanced at him, then returned to what they were doing. He looked at Coda, and visibly froze. Coda’s mind went blank as well- he hadn’t looked into those hazel eyes since… well, since he last saw him, in the beginning of 2011. Yet Davey quickly regained his composure, and, without looking at Coda, approached him, and handed him a small bag. “F-for you,” he stammered. 

_A gift?_ Coda wondered. _Is_ this _what Davey was ignoring me for?_ Then he remembered his own idea to get Davey a gift, and cursed himself for not doing so. If only Leslie hadn’t talked him out of it…

“Thanks…” he said as he accepted the gift, his voice no louder than a whisper. He cleared his throat, and repeated, a bit louder, “Th-thank you, Davey."

Davey still wasn’t looking at him, but his cheeks were starting to redden. “Right. Um, you’re welcome.”

“I’m… sorry I didn’t get you anything.”

He finally looked Coda in the eye, and had a rather dazed expression on his face as he said, “It’s okay, you didn’t have to.” 

Coda’s heart and mind were both in a million different places, and not one of those places was with him. He didn’t know how to continue the conversation, although there were many appropriate and obvious ways he could. Davey seemed to be struggling with the same problem, looking back and forth between Coda and other parts of the café. 

Seeing this, Coda finally blurted, “Let’s s-sit down somewhere.”

Davey seemed to snap out of his stupor after hearing that. “Yeah, that’s probably… yeah.”

They decided on a table next to the window, along the side of the café. Once they sat down, Davey looked out the window, and began nervously fidgeting with his necklace. It caught Coda’s attention. He’d never seen one like that before. The charm looked kind of like… a talisman, of some sort? “You, you have a nice necklace,” he commented.

He stopped playing with the charm. “I… thanks.” After saying this, he looked almost pained. Coda couldn’t blame him- this was certainly not going the way he expected it to. Although, reflecting on it, perhaps he should’ve expected something like this. Not that he’d have to _like_ the awkwardness, but it would’ve prepared him a bit more. He recalled how excited he had been earlier. How was he to get that feeling back when things were like this?

“I’m glad to see you again.”

Davey’s words caused Coda’s heart to skip a beat. He was looking at him now, with a small but warm smile on his face. Coda suddenly felt tears stinging at his eyes. He took Davey’s hand in his own, and told him, “I’m… glad to see you too.”

The silence between them was more comfortable, but a heaviness still hung in the air. Coda was sure that Davey had as many things he wanted to say as he did. Davey, with a thoughtful look, brushed his thumb across Coda’s fingers, and Coda felt a warmth spreading through his chest as he watched those careful yet heartfelt movements. He was beginning to remember his happiness at the prospect of seeing Davey again, and he couldn’t keep himself from grinning.

“What are you so happy about? You haven’t even opened your gift yet,” Davey quietly remarked, his tone light-hearted.

Coda made eye contact with Davey for a moment, before glancing at the little bag that sat undisturbed on the table. “Oh… right. Sorry,” he apologized, his grin becoming more sheepish. He, albeit unwillingly, let go of Davey’s hand, and gently grabbed the bag before reaching into it. He donned a more curious expression as he pulled out a small box. A box that seemed almost like… _It can’t be_ , Coda thought. _We just… I mean, I love him, and he loves me, and I guess it kinda makes sense, but now just doesn’t seem like the right time…_

His thoughts must’ve been reflected in his expression, because Davey quickly explained, “It’s- it’s not an engagement ring, don’t worry! Sorry, that must’ve seemed like what it was, but I assure you, I’ll be more patient when it comes to that.”

Coda let out a relieved laugh, but he teased, “More patient? But we’ve, we’ve waited almost ten years for this moment!”

Davey appeared to be startled at first, but then he chuckled, catching on. “It has been a long time coming, but we both know we should wait just a little bit longer. That would be best for both of us.”

With a playful huff, Coda opened the box. Inside was a pin. His eyes widened at the insignia- his namesake, a coda symbol. He felt his throat tightening. The gold glimmer reflected in the lights of the café, as though it had just been polished not too long ago. It was… “Davey… this is beautiful,” he managed to say. “Thank you.”

Davey waved it off as though it were no big deal, even though Coda was fully aware that this was no small purchase. “It’s no problem. I wanted to do something for you, so, even though this isn’t much, I figured it’s a good place to start.”

“A good place to start is just… buying drinks at a café,” Coda responded, his lip starting to quiver. “I didn’t… I, I wish I… I thought you weren’t… Leslie said-“

“Leslie told you not to get anything for me, huh?” Davey finished Coda’s thought, although he was still smiling. “It’s alright. She tried to talk me out of it too.”

“Wait, is that what you were texting about when you walked past me?”

“Oh… yeah, I guess you would’ve noticed that, wouldn’t you,” he commented, sounding slightly embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I just wasn’t ready to talk to you yet. I felt like I _had_ to get that first, and _then_ I would be ready to meet you.”

Coda smiled a bit. “Yeah, I, uh, figured that was the case.” He took the pin out and puzzled over where to put it for a moment before frowning and placing it back in the box. “I’m, I’m sorry I’m not wearing anything appropriate for this,” he apologized.

“It’s okay. It’s not like I gave you a heads-up about it.”

He still wasn’t satisfied when he placed the box in his hoodie pocket. He felt like he should’ve worn something where a pin would’ve been more fitting. 

“We should probably order something before we get kicked out,” Davey remarked. 

Coda realized that they probably would be overstaying their welcome otherwise, and agreed. He got up, asked Davey what he wanted, and went to the counter, ordering drinks for both of them. Once the drinks were finished and his name was called, Coda collected them and returned to the table, giving Davey his drink and then sitting down, taking a sip of his own.

“Thank you, Coda.”

“Yeah, n-no problem.”

Davey stared down at his cup. “No, I mean… for more than just this.”

Coda glanced up, placing his cup on the table as well. “For what?”

“For everything you’ve done for me. Even though all that self-improvement came from myself, you gave me that push I needed. If you hadn’t left… we wouldn’t be here right now. I… might not have been here right now.”

Coda was suddenly alert. He hadn’t realized Davey’s thoughts had been that dark. A sudden wave of nausea came over him. He couldn’t lose Davey. Not like that. Not now. “Davey, I-“

“Wait, Coda,” he interrupted, holding up his hand. “Please let me finish.” Coda’s mouth shut, and he sat back in his chair. “I have a feeling that I know what you’re thinking, and I wasn’t ever, at any point, seriously considering… that. I meant that I would’ve worked myself to death. I would’ve pushed myself even further, so that I would be less than less than nothing. Less than a hollow shell of what I used to be. And that actually would probably have been worse than death… but when you left, I think that’s when I realized it. I realized I needed help, because I certainly wasn’t doing myself any favors. I had fallen ill not too long after that… I took the time I spent recovering from my physical illness to reflect on my mental illness. And after I started getting better, I went to therapy, and I actually still am going, because this problem I have isn’t something that eventually permanently goes away. I’ll always have to deal with it, that contract I have with myself, to create for validation and love from the public… but I can take steps to prevent myself from letting it take over everything I do. And I have been. I’ve been fighting it for years, and I feel so much stronger, so much better, than I was before. Coda… I couldn’t have started on that journey without you to help me see where I was headed. So… that’s why I’m saying thank you. For that.”

By the time Davey had finished, Coda had started crying. He, as he had told Davey over the phone, was so proud of him, but, as he hadn’t told Davey over the phone, also felt terrible that he had endured so much to get to this point. Had the table and their drinks not been in between them, Coda would have pulled Davey into a tight embrace. Yet seeing as things were where they were, Coda simply wiped his tears on his sleeve and blew his nose into a napkin from the napkin holder on the table. “Sorry,” he said, his voice wobbly. “I didn’t realize... I’m so proud of you, but…” Davey perked up at the word “but”, and Coda continued, “but I’m, I, I’m so sorry you went through so much…”

Davey gave him a smile. “It’s okay, really. There’s nothing we can do to change the past, but we can work towards a better future. I don’t like talking about what I’ve been through too much because I don’t want to make people upset… like you are now. And I’d rather look ahead.” He brightened, and added, “Especially since I have you now.”

Coda began to laugh. “You know, y-you’ve gotten so much smoother since we talked last.”

His partner’s smile turned into a grin from ear to ear. “Well, you know, I was waiting for a day like this to come. Practicing what I’d say when I saw you again, if we were to get into that kind of relationship… entertaining thoughts I’d have thought impossible at the time, but here we are, right?”

Coda narrowed his eyes at Davey. “You did _not_ wait for me all this time.”

To his surprise, Davey’s expression became pensive. “Well, no, but I didn’t pursue those kinds of relationships after you left. I was mostly working on myself, and trying to make me into a better person. I guess romance and sex and all… just kinda… wasn’t a thing I really thought about. I mean, sure, I’ve seen my friends get into relationships, even get married, but for me, it wasn’t really in the picture. Even when they tried to encourage me to get back out there.” The corners of his mouth lifted. “You were on my mind quite often though… every day, _something_ would remind me of you. So, I suppose you could say I was waiting for you.” He suddenly gave Coda an odd look. “…and you? Not that it’d be an issue if you had, just, um, since I talked about me…”

He shook his head. “N-no, I didn’t. I mean, you, you know I keep mostly to myself. I don’t really put myself out there for much of anything, much less, um, romantic or sexual relationships. That, that i-isn’t to say I haven’t gone outside at all! I’ve made a few friends, but it’s… um… much of the same thing with me. It wasn’t really in the picture I had for my future.” He took Davey’s hand into his own again. “But… you being here… I feel like this is what I’ve always wanted. I guess the, the reason I couldn’t picture a relationship with that kind of love was, was because you weren’t there.”

Davey gave his hand a squeeze. There was a fondness in his gaze that made Coda feel warm and fuzzy inside. He loved this. He loved Davey. “I love you,” he said before he could stop himself. Although, there was no reason to stop himself, he supposed. After all, they had already confessed this truth to each other, even though the first time they said it was over the phone, and not in person… 

“I love you too,” Davey told him, giving him a heartfelt smile. Coda knew, at that moment, that this was the beginning of their lives together. No more separation, no more puzzle doors or maze walls, no more wondering about what could have been. Now, they could wonder, even plan, for what can be, with vision unblocked by those obstacles. He returned Davey’s smile. 

He was looking forward to what was ahead.


End file.
